Police Area Representative Officers-Solving Neighborhood Problems

What do you do if you've reported problems in your neighborhood to the police department, but they just keep happening and seem to be getting worse?

What if the neighborhood children have continued to destroy your flowerbeds even after you've complained to the parents and have now started throwing rocks at your car?

What if two families down the block are still upset over a minor incident that occurred years ago and have now begun standing in their front yards shouting at each other?

You can call 911 and ask for an officer to come out which may solve the problem in the short-term. However, you know from experience that it will happen again. What you want is to have the underlying problems resolved so that these incidents stop and don't happen again. This may be a long-term problem that can be solved by your Police Area Representative (PAR) officer.

Springfield is divided into three zones, which include a total of eight beats, for the purposes of Community Oriented Policing. Currently, at least one PAR Officer is assigned to each zone and they are a part of the Community Services Section. When PAR Officers get involved in a neighborhood issue, their job is not to find fault or place blame, but to coordinate and facilitate efforts in hopes of solving the identified problem. PAR Officers work with all involved parties and request assistance from other departments within the City when necessary in an effort to accomplish their goal. PAR Officers have received extensive training in handling conflict and resolving longstanding problems.

If you're having an ongoing problem in your neighborhood and would like to discuss it with your PAR officer, first determine what police response area (or zone) you live in by checking the zone map (or call 864-1810 if you need further assistance). Find your neighborhood's PAR officer in the table below and leave a message for him. PAR officers work a varying schedule and may not be available when you call, but will return your call as soon as possible. If you need immediate assistance or feel that your problem can't wait, call 911.